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: wake · board · perch · stem · key · row · drill · spell

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — a practice
  4. spell — magic
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wake — a trail
  7. drill — army training
  8. board — to get on
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stem — to come from
  13. key — in music
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. spell — letters
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. row — a line
  20. row — to paddle
  21. perch — the fish
  22. spell — a short time
  23. board — a committee
  24. row — a quarrel

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