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 116 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. present — the time now
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. content — the amount
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. spell — letters
  9. content — happy
  10. track — to keep track
  11. staff — a stick
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. track — a path
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. present — a gift
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. spell — a short time
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. present — there
  23. track — a song
  24. spell — magic

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