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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. race — humankind
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. race — a contest
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stock — shares
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. lean — thin
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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