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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. staff — employees
  7. field — farmland
  8. pass — a permit
  9. field — for sport
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. shower — rain
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. shower — to wash
  14. staff — a stick
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. field — a subject
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lash — to lash out

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