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: content · rock · ball · bulb · stem · mark · mine · lean

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. content — the amount
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. lean — thin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stem — to come from
  16. ball — a dance
  17. lean — to bend
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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