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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. key — in music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. land — a country
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. race — the arms race
  12. race — humankind
  13. land — ground
  14. stem — to come from
  15. fall — to drop
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. vault — a safe
  20. race — a contest
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. land — to come down

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