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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. present — the time now
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. firm — steady
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bound — obliged
  7. bound — certain
  8. present — a gift
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — decided
  13. bound — tied together
  14. pitch — completely
  15. present — there
  16. firm — a company
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pitcher — a jug

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