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: stem · rock · ball · nail · mate · lash · face · present

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. present — the time now
  3. rock — a stone
  4. present — there
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stem — to come from
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. face — to confront
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — a gift
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mate — to breed
  22. ball — a great time
  23. face — to point toward
  24. ball — a dance

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