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: wave · pitcher · dip · rule · stem · temple · leaves · trunk

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rule — government
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. stem — to come from
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — to sink
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. rule — a law
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. wave — with your hand

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