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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. fine — all right
  9. row — a line
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. deal — to handle
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rule — a law
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rule — government
  19. row — to paddle
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fine — high quality
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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