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: pop · fall · chip · pit · stem · lash · bay · straw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pop — soda
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pop — to visit
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — music
  24. fall — to drop

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