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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stem — to come from
  3. dip — to sink
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fall — the season
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. fall — to drop
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rule — government
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bat — the animal
  22. suit — to fit
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bore — to drill

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