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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. court — of a king
  7. spell — letters
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — a container
  10. spell — a short time
  11. court — for sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — of law
  18. stem — to come from
  19. spell — magic
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. hide — animal skin

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