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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. date — the fruit
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. swing — music
  18. stem — of a plant

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