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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. root — of a plant
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — to come from
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cap — of ice
  16. root — the cause
  17. content — happy
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bulb — for light
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. cap — a lid
  23. root — of a word
  24. content — the amount

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