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: wind · face · bulb · stem · mug · land · wave · squash

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. land — ground
  5. face — to point toward
  6. squash — the sport
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mug — to rob
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. stem — to come from
  14. land — a country
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mug — a cup
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. face — to confront
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. mug — a face
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. land — to come down

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