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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. net — for catching
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. face — to confront
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. net — in sport
  11. wound — an injury
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ball — a dance
  17. net — after costs
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bore — to tire
  22. wound — an injury
  23. face — part of the head
  24. stem — of a plant

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