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: mouse · object · stem · last · lash · stick · leaves · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. object — to protest
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — final
  13. object — a thing
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. hand — help
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. mouse — the animal

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