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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. spring — of water
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. clip — to cut
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. spell — magic
  9. charge — in control
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. spring — the season
  16. clip — for paper
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. spring — a coil
  20. clip — a video
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. spell — letters
  24. stem — of a plant

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