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: craft · jam · coach · lean · stem · wake · bulb · spring

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wake — a trail
  3. spring — a coil
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bulb — for light
  6. spring — of water
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. spring — the season
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. craft — boats
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — for light

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