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 · swing · season · lash · safe · present · tear · bark

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — in sport
  3. present — there
  4. present — a gift
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. swing — to play on
  7. tear — to rip
  8. swing — music
  9. present — the time now
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. season — of the year
  13. stem — to come from
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. bark — to shout
  18. tear — from crying
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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