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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. spell — letters
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. cap — a hat
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. spell — magic
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — the cause
  18. spell — a short time
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. root — of a word
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cap — of ice

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