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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. swing — in golf
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mate — a friend
  7. game — a match
  8. stem — to come from
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mate — a partner
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. spring — of water
  18. swing — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. spring — the season
  21. prune — to trim
  22. swing — to play on
  23. game — wild animals
  24. mate — to breed

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