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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. board — a committee
  6. pitch — completely
  7. drill — army training
  8. board — to get on
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. mark — a trace
  13. track — a song
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. track — a path
  16. drill — the tool
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — a grade
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stem — a stem cell

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