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: present · racket · leaves · stem · tear · bay · patient · court

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. court — of a king
  4. present — there
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. present — a gift
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. tear — to rip
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. court — for sport
  16. stem — to come from
  17. court — of law
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. present — the time now
  20. tear — from crying
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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