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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — magic
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bank — for money
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cold — not warm
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rest — a break
  16. spell — letters
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bank — for money
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. rest — what's left
  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