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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — to come from
  3. mark — a trace
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bound — certain
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bound — tied together

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