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 116 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: bark · spell · lie · bore · rush · stem · chip · cabinet

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. spell — magic
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chip — to eat
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. lie — to recline
  15. spell — a short time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. chip — for betting
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. spell — letters
  23. bore — to drill
  24. lie — an untruth

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