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: spell · stem · bank · tube · leaves · cell · roll · spring

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — a list
  3. stem — to come from
  4. spell — magic
  5. cell — a phone
  6. spell — a short time
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. tube — a container
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. spring — the season
  13. bank — of a river
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — for money
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bank — for money
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. tube — the underground
  23. spell — letters
  24. cell — in biology

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