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 · stem · squash · mine · wave · tube · patient · roll

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mine — for digging
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stem — to come from
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. roll — a list
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rock — a stone
  14. squash — the sport
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. roll — a cake
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rock — to move gently

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