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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. face — part of the head
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ground — crushed
  11. land — ground
  12. ground — the earth
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. face — to confront
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. toast — bread
  18. roll — a cake
  19. face — to point toward
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. roll — a list

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