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 120 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: rush · spell · stem · wound · spring · tube · racket · ruler

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. tube — a container
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rush — hurry
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — to come from
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spell — magic
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spell — letters
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. tube — the underground

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