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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. spring — the season
  6. dip — to sink
  7. season — in sport
  8. season — of the year
  9. wake — a trail
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spring — of water
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stem — to come from
  18. board — a committee
  19. vault — a safe
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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