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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fall — the season
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fall — to drop
  7. roll — a list
  8. bore — to tire
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stem — to come from
  13. file — a document
  14. squash — the sport
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bore — to drill
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. fall — to drop
  20. file — a line of people
  21. squash — to crush
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. file — a tool

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