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: land · club · ball · stem · wake · swing · fan · foot

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ball — a dance
  8. swing — to play on
  9. land — ground
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. swing — music
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. land — to come down
  15. wake — a trail
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — a group
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. club — for dancing
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. land — a country
  24. swing — in golf

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