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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lean — thin
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. spell — letters
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. spell — magic
  9. deal — to handle
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. face — part of the head
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a dance
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lean — to bend
  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