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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. staff — a stick
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rest — what's left
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. staff — employees
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. chest — a box
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — music
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — what's left
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — to play on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chest — of your body
  21. staff — employees
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — to bear

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