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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pop — music
  3. saw — the tool
  4. last — final
  5. lie — to recline
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. last — finally
  8. firm — decided
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. stem — to come from
  12. last — to go on
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pop — soda
  15. firm — steady
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. land — to come down
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. firm — a company
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pop — to visit
  24. saw — the tool

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