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: clip · scale · stem · bowl · coach · perch · lean · mark

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. scale — size or range
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lean — thin
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. mark — a grade
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mark — a trace
  18. clip — a video
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. clip — to cut
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — to bend

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