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 120 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: net · spell · spring · stem · lean · coach · stand · bark

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. net — in sport
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bark — to shout
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lean — to bend
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. lean — thin
  10. spring — a coil
  11. spell — magic
  12. spring — the season
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spell — letters
  16. stem — to come from
  17. net — for catching
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. stand — to bear
  23. net — after costs
  24. spring — of water

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