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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. object — a thing
  8. pound — a weight
  9. object — to protest
  10. cap — of ice
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. date — the fruit
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. object — an aim
  22. bat — the animal
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. wax — in the ear

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