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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. rest — a break
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — the earth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rest — what's left
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ground — a position
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pitcher — a jug

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