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: mine · roll · staff · bulb · face · stem · lean · cabinet

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. lean — thin
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mine — for digging
  6. roll — a list
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. face — to confront
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. face — part of the head
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. staff — employees
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bulb — for light
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. lean — to bend
  22. roll — a cake
  23. face — to point toward
  24. staff — employees

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