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: wave · land · lash · foot · lie · bear · mug · stem

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. land — ground
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bear — the animal
  16. land — a country
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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