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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wax — to grow
  16. field — for sport
  17. bank — of a river
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. field — farmland
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bank — for money

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