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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — a hole
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. staff — a stick
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. content — the amount
  14. pit — in a race
  15. staff — employees
  16. shower — to wash
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. staff — employees
  19. shower — rain
  20. bank — for money
  21. foot — a measure
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — happy
  24. coach — a trainer

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