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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. content — the amount
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. content — happy
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. cell — a phone
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. cell — in biology
  13. wake — a trail
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bark — to shout
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stand — for spectators

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