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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. drill — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. root — of a word
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stem — to come from
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. swing — music
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. root — of a plant
  13. drill — army training
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. swing — in golf
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. root — the cause
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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