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: chip · field · snap · bass · leaves · fall · stem · patient

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bass — low music
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. snap — to click
  7. bass — the fish
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stem — to come from
  12. field — a subject
  13. field — farmland
  14. fall — the season
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. chip — to eat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fall — to drop
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. fall — to drop
  24. field — for sport

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