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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. track — a song
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cue — a signal
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wind — moving air
  11. cue — a hint
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. track — a path
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. staff — employees
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. stand — to bear
  24. wind — moving air

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