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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — hurry
  4. lie — to recline
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. snap — to click
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. stem — to come from
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. scale — size or range
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. scale — in music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. safe — out of danger

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