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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. staff — a stick
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. face — to confront
  16. craft — boats
  17. stem — to come from
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. face — part of the head
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stem — of a plant

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