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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — a price
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — in music
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bark — to shout
  12. charge — electricity
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mark — a trace
  15. tube — a container
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mark — a grade
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. stem — to come from

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