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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pit — in a race
  8. firm — a company
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stem — to come from
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pit — a hole
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. field — for sport
  19. firm — decided
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bat — the animal
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bat — in an idiom

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