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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. drill — army training
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pop — music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. field — for sport
  9. pit — in a race
  10. field — farmland
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — to visit
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pop — soda
  15. field — a subject
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bank — of a river
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bank — for money
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — to hit hard

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