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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bulb — for light
  4. kid — to tease
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chest — a box
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chest — of your body
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wax — to grow
  24. kid — child

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