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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ground — crushed
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stem — to come from
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. scale — in music
  10. bulb — for light
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. saw — the tool
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. stand — to bear
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. scale — size or range
  24. ground — a position

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