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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. court — of a king
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bulb — for light
  5. swing — music
  6. court — of law
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mate — a partner
  10. stem — to come from
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. court — for sport
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mate — a friend
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. swing — to play on
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mate — to breed
  23. swing — in golf
  24. drill — army training

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