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: drill · stick · lean · stem · bat · safe · bore · lash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. bat — the animal
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bore — to tire
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — the tool
  24. bore — to drill

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