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: rock · pit · stem · spring · dip · date · coach · saw

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rock — a stone
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rock — music
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. spring — the season
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. dip — to sink
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. date — the fruit
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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