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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. charge — a price
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. row — a line
  11. wake — a trail
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stem — a stem cell

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