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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rock — music
  6. root — of a word
  7. root — of a plant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. cell — a phone
  11. rock — a stone
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. spring — of water
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. root — the cause
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. present — there
  18. wake — a trail
  19. present — the time now
  20. spring — a coil
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. present — a gift
  23. toast — bread
  24. spring — the season

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