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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. kid — to tease
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. saw — the tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. cue — for pool
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stem — to come from
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bark — to shout

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