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: toast · net · hand · mark · stem · rule · jam · race

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. rule — a law
  4. race — a contest
  5. mark — a trace
  6. race — humankind
  7. stem — to come from
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. hand — help
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. net — for catching
  17. hand — in cards
  18. toast — bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — in sport
  23. race — the arms race
  24. rule — government

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