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: coach · stem · object · wax · field · mouse · rock · ball

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. object — an aim
  4. rock — a stone
  5. object — to protest
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. field — for sport
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. field — a subject
  16. object — a thing
  17. field — farmland
  18. ball — a dance
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rock — music

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