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: charge · cue · stem · dip · foot · mine · bound · bark

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. stem — to come from
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. cue — a hint
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. dip — to sink
  10. charge — a price
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bark — to shout
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mine — for digging
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cue — for pool
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bark — of a tree

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