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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rest — a break
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cap — a lid
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rest — what's left

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