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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cell — a phone
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bank — for money
  6. degree — an amount
  7. charge — a price
  8. mark — a trace
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mate — a partner
  14. degree — from a university
  15. mate — a friend
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. key — the most important part
  19. bank — for money
  20. key — in music
  21. charge — in control
  22. mate — to breed
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cell — in a prison

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