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: stem · bore · squash · firm · race · trunk · mate · racket

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. stem — to come from
  3. squash — to crush
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. race — the arms race
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. firm — steady
  12. race — a contest
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mate — a partner
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. mate — to breed
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. firm — a company
  20. mate — a friend
  21. squash — the sport
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. firm — decided

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