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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. land — a country
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. track — a path
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — ground
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cue — a hint
  22. squash — to crush
  23. branch — a division
  24. cue — a signal

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