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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. squash — to crush
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rest — a break
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. saw — the tool
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. rest — what's left
  19. squash — the sport
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to click
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. chair — a leader
  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