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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pass — a permit
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. shower — rain
  8. fork — in a road
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. shower — to wash
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cap — a hat
  13. press — to push
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cap — a lid
  18. press — a publisher
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. press — newspapers
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pass — to succeed

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