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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. field — a subject
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — to come from
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — for a lock
  10. field — farmland
  11. lean — to bend
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — the most important part
  14. spell — letters
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. key — in music
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. spell — magic
  20. ball — a dance
  21. field — for sport
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lean — thin

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