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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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 — of a plant
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. net — in sport
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. net — after costs
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — steady
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. snap — to click
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. firm — a company
  16. row — a line
  17. net — for catching
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. firm — decided
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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