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 · lash · wind · bear · stand · wake · rock · bat

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rock — music
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. stem — to come from
  24. lash — to lash out

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