ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rash — a series
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bat — the animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. cabinet — ministers

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com