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 · rest · jam · tube · tear · suit · root · sharp

  1. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. stem — to come from
  8. suit — in cards
  9. sharp — clever
  10. suit — to fit
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tear — to rip
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — of a word
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. tear — from crying

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