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: lie · wound · season · ball · pit · stem · bulb · stick

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. season — in sport
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. stem — to come from
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. season — of the year
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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