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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. bank — for money
  5. stem — to come from
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. field — a subject
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. field — for sport
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. field — farmland
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stem — of a plant

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