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: hide · jam · tube · stem · prune · last · fine · lash

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. last — finally
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. last — final
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — all right
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. fine — high quality
  18. last — to go on
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. tube — the underground
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tube — a container
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. prune — to trim

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