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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — for pool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. drill — army training
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — to tire
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. press — to push
  13. drill — the tool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. cue — a signal
  17. key — the most important part
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stem — to come from
  20. prune — to trim
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. press — a publisher
  23. press — newspapers
  24. drill — a practice

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