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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. club — for dancing
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. can — to be able to
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. can — a tin
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — in cards
  12. club — for golf
  13. shower — to wash
  14. degree — an amount
  15. degree — from a university
  16. stem — to come from
  17. suit — to fit
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — clothes
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. degree — temperature
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. shower — rain

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