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: cell · leaves · stem · perch · board · roll · stock · cue

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. cell — in biology
  4. stock — shares
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. cue — a signal
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. perch — the fish
  11. cue — a hint
  12. board — to get on
  13. roll — a list
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stock — goods
  18. roll — a cake
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. cue — for pool
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cell — a phone
  24. board — a flat piece

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