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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fall — the season
  5. cap — of ice
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cap — a lid
  8. firm — steady
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. firm — a company
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. net — after costs
  13. net — in sport
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cap — a hat
  16. net — for catching
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — to bear
  19. firm — decided
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. fall — to drop
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. wound — an injury

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