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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pit — in a race
  12. current — electric
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. current — of water
  17. craft — a skill
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. craft — boats
  20. dip — to sink
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. stem — to come from

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