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: roll · kick · rash · swing · stem · game · board · leaves

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rash — a series
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — music
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. board — a committee
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. game — wild animals
  13. kick — in football
  14. rash — hasty
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. game — a match
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — in golf
  22. roll — a list
  23. board — to get on
  24. kick — with a leg

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