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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. firm — a company
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. net — after costs
  11. firm — decided
  12. net — for catching
  13. cell — a phone
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — steady
  22. net — in sport
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitcher — a jug

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