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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — the cause
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a line
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. root — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — of a word
  24. patient — a sick person

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