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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. ground — the earth
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. plane — a tool
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ground — crushed
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mark — a trace
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. snap — to click
  21. stem — to come from
  22. ground — a position
  23. season — of the year
  24. plane — an aircraft

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