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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. field — a subject
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bound — tied together
  6. march — the month
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wound — an injury
  9. field — farmland
  10. stem — to come from
  11. field — for sport
  12. march — the month
  13. bound — certain
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. march — music
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bound — obliged
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — to drill

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