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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. swing — in golf
  6. root — of a word
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. staff — employees
  10. band — a music group
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. root — the cause
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stem — to come from
  17. root — of a plant
  18. swing — to play on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. staff — employees
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. band — a ring
  24. stem — a stem cell

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