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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. can — a tin
  5. land — to come down
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. can — to be able to
  8. file — a document
  9. file — a tool
  10. staff — employees
  11. land — a country
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rock — music
  14. file — a line of people
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. land — ground
  18. can — a tin
  19. chip — for betting
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. rock — a stone
  22. row — to paddle
  23. row — a line
  24. staff — a stick

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