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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. content — the amount
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. content — happy
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. bat — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. net — after costs

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