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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. spell — magic
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bound — certain
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spell — letters
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kid — child
  13. firm — decided
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. spell — a short time
  16. firm — a company
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bulb — for light
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. bound — obliged
  22. firm — steady
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bound — tied together

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