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: bulb · chip · leaves · stem · mug · wake · pitcher · swing

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bulb — for light
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. swing — music
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mug — a cup
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mug — to rob
  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