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: lash · prune · scale · rest · stem · content · net · safe

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. scale — size or range
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rest — a break
  11. content — happy
  12. prune — to trim
  13. net — in sport
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. scale — in music
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. content — the amount

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