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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cue — for pool
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. land — ground
  9. mug — a cup
  10. cue — a signal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. clip — to cut
  13. mug — to rob
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. cue — a hint
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. land — to come down
  21. mug — a face
  22. stem — to come from
  23. land — a country
  24. clip — a video

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