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 116 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: lash · nail · bank · court · fine · stem · pop · bat

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pop — to visit
  4. court — of a king
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bank — of a river
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pop — music
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pop — soda
  19. fine — high quality
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. court — of law
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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