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: racket · date · staff · lean · bay · stem · field · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. field — for sport
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. lean — to bend
  9. field — farmland
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. field — a subject
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lean — thin
  19. staff — employees
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. date — the fruit
  22. staff — employees
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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