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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bulb · chair · rock · roll · land · jam · stem · deal

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bulb — for light
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. roll — a list
  7. land — a country
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bulb — for light
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — ground
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rock — a stone
  16. chair — a leader
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. roll — a cake
  21. rock — music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chair — to sit on

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