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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mine — for digging
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stem — to come from
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. drill — army training
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pass — a permit
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. drill — the tool
  24. present — there

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