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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — a hat
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. firm — steady
  21. cap — a lid
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — for digging

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