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: game · cell · court · stem · land · rock · wave · suit

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. suit — in cards
  4. land — a country
  5. cell — a phone
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rock — music
  10. game — wild animals
  11. court — for sport
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. court — of a king
  15. cell — in biology
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. court — of law
  18. land — ground
  19. game — a match
  20. suit — to fit
  21. land — to come down
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stem — to come from

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