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: date · leaves · bound · stem · wind · bank · cold · cue

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bound — obliged
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bound — tied together
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. date — the fruit
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bank — of a river
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cue — a hint
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bank — for money
  16. wind — moving air
  17. cold — an illness
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bank — for money
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. stem — to come from
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. bound — certain

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