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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  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. bore — gave birth
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pass — a permit
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. bore — to tire
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rest — a break
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — to come from
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. cue — a signal
  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