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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. root — the cause
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stock — shares
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. scale — in music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. wax — to grow
  24. root — of a word

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