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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. current — electric
  4. snap — to click
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. plane — a tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. current — happening now
  12. cell — in biology
  13. stem — to come from
  14. dip — to sink
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. cue — for pool
  21. current — of water
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. plane — an aircraft

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