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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. content — happy
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rock — music
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. date — the fruit
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. net — for catching
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. net — after costs
  17. content — the amount
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. rush — hurry
  22. stem — to come from
  23. key — in music
  24. net — in sport

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