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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. rash — hasty
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. stem — to come from
  10. season — in sport
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. game — a match
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. tear — from crying
  17. game — wild animals
  18. tear — to rip
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rash — a series
  21. firm — steady
  22. ball — a dance
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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