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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. field — a subject
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. field — for sport
  12. spell — letters
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. field — farmland
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bark — to shout
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fan — a supporter

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