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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — ground
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bass — the fish
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bass — low music
  12. cue — a signal
  13. land — a country
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cue — a hint
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. land — to come down
  23. rush — hurry
  24. cue — for pool

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