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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. spring — a coil
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. spring — of water
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. court — for sport
  11. spring — the season
  12. pass — a permit
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — the underground
  20. court — of law
  21. tube — a container
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. court — of a king

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