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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stem — to come from
  6. row — to paddle
  7. present — there
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cold — an illness
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — the time now
  12. capital — a city
  13. cold — not warm
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. charge — in control
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. track — a path
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. capital — money
  23. row — a line
  24. present — a gift

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