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: rest · date · object · tube · content · stem · roll · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. content — the amount
  4. tube — a container
  5. rest — a break
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. roll — a list
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. tube — the underground
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. content — happy
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. date — the fruit
  21. object — a thing
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. cell — a phone
  24. stem — a stem cell

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