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: mug · stem · jam · stick · dip · prune · pit · lie

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mug — a face
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pit — in a race
  11. dip — to sink
  12. stem — to come from
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. prune — to trim
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. prune — to trim
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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