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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. land — a country
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — of a river
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stem — to come from
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. land — ground
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. land — to come down
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — a trace
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mouse — the animal

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