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

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. file — a document
  5. key — the most important part
  6. key — in music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. hand — in cards
  19. file — a tool
  20. scale — in music
  21. wind — moving air
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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