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: shower · rest · rash · fan · stem · trunk · squash · stand

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rest — a break
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stand — to bear
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rash — hasty
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. squash — the sport
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. rash — a series
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. shower — rain
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — to crush

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