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 120 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. last — final
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stem — to come from
  6. fine — all right
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. pop — soda
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. last — to go on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fine — high quality
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. last — finally
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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