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: nail · toast · current · suit · stem · shower · squash · net

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. net — in sport
  3. current — electric
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. squash — to crush
  8. current — of water
  9. net — after costs
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. squash — the sport
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — to wash
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. toast — bread
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — for catching
  23. current — happening now
  24. stem — a stem cell

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