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: bowl · cabinet · spring · leaves · perch · foot · stem · bank

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. stem — to come from
  11. spring — the season
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bank — of a river
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. perch — for a bird

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