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 120 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 · present · bulb · game · stem · spell · band · rule

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. spell — magic
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. spell — letters
  12. present — a gift
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. spell — a short time
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. game — a match
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. rule — government
  21. bulb — for light
  22. present — the time now
  23. band — a music group
  24. present — there

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