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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rash — a series
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — low music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bass — the fish
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. rush — hurry

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