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 116 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. cue — a hint
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. scale — in music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cue — for pool
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — size or range

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