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 116 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. staff — a stick
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. pound — a weight
  5. stem — to come from
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. staff — employees
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cold — not warm
  16. cold — an illness
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitch — completely
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sports field

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