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 120 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: can · stem · spell · object · saw · chip · spring · lie

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. spell — magic
  4. can — to be able to
  5. object — a thing
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — an aim
  11. saw — the tool
  12. spell — a short time
  13. object — to protest
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spring — of water
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spell — letters
  20. lie — to recline
  21. spring — the season
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stem — to come from
  24. lie — an untruth

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