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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. roll — a cake
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. roll — a list
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rest — a break
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — to drill
  15. firm — decided
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — a coil
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bore — to tire
  20. firm — steady
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. spring — of water

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