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 116 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: wind · fan · mouse · dip · stem · cell · staff · craft

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — boats
  17. stem — to come from
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. cell — a phone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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