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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · bear · nail · stem · fork · ball · rest · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. ball — a great time
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. fork — in a road
  7. rest — what's left
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rest — a break
  14. stem — to come from
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fork — a garden tool

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