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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. game — wild animals
  7. squash — to crush
  8. rest — a break
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bat — the animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stem — to come from
  16. game — a match
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. game — a kind of play

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