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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. field — a subject
  5. roll — a list
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. key — the most important part
  10. field — for sport
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rash — hasty
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. key — in music
  15. roll — a cake
  16. branch — a division
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. field — farmland
  19. can — a tin
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. rash — on the skin

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