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 120 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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. cap — a lid
  5. swing — in golf
  6. chip — for betting
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. swing — music
  12. root — of a word
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rash — hasty
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. cap — a hat
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mark — a trace
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — a series

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