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 120 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. last — finally
  3. spring — of water
  4. bass — low music
  5. spring — the season
  6. bass — the fish
  7. spring — a coil
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stand — to bear
  11. charge — in control
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stem — to come from
  20. charge — a price
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. last — to go on
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. last — final

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