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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. file — a line of people
  3. root — the cause
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. file — a document
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rash — hasty
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fine — all right
  11. root — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lie — to recline
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stem — to come from
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. file — a tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. stem — a stem cell

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