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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — for money
  8. mine — for digging
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bank — for money
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. cap — a hat
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. straw — dry grass

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