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: stem · pit · bat · rest · chest · spring · can · bulb

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pit — a hole
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bat — the animal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pit — in a race
  15. rest — a break
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spring — the season
  18. spring — of water
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. can — to be able to
  24. can — a tin

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