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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stem — to come from
  4. fine — high quality
  5. fine — all right
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. stock — shares
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bulb — for light
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — goods
  23. lean — to bend
  24. squash — the sport

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