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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stem — to come from
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — a measure
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pitch — completely
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fine — all right

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