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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. land — to come down
  3. cue — a signal
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stem — to come from
  6. tube — a container
  7. land — ground
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mug — to rob
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. stock — shares
  16. land — a country
  17. mug — a cup
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. stock — goods
  20. cue — for pool
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. tube — the underground
  24. cue — a hint

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