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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. swing — in golf
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mate — to breed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. land — a country
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. land — ground
  9. land — to come down
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cell — a phone
  12. fall — to drop
  13. swing — music
  14. rule — a law
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rule — government
  17. mate — a partner
  18. swing — to play on
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. mate — a friend

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