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: cue · row · date · perch · coach · sharp · cap · stem

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. perch — the fish
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. cue — for pool
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cap — a lid
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cap — a hat
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stem — to come from
  20. sharp — clever
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. row — a line
  24. cue — a signal

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