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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. season — of the year
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. club — a group
  8. spell — magic
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — in sport
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. vault — a safe
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. spell — letters
  21. stem — to come from
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. spell — a short time

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