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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. spell — letters
  5. hand — help
  6. stock — shares
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. spell — magic
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stock — goods
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. snap — to click
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. stem — to come from
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — a container
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. hand — in cards
  24. fan — a supporter

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