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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. ball — a dance
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. chip — to eat
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — thin
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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