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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stem — to come from
  3. cue — a signal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — shares
  14. squash — the sport
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. cue — for pool
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cell — in biology
  19. rush — hurry
  20. squash — to crush
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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