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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stem — to come from
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. spell — magic
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. chest — a box
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. craft — a skill

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