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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. ground — crushed
  3. degree — from a university
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ground — a position
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — to get on
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. tear — from crying
  12. degree — an amount
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rock — music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. degree — temperature
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. board — a committee
  24. stem — a stem cell

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