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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. cap — a hat
  3. deal — to handle
  4. stem — to come from
  5. sharp — clever
  6. object — an aim
  7. cap — of ice
  8. current — happening now
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. current — electric
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bear — the animal
  18. current — of water
  19. cap — a lid
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. object — to protest
  22. object — a thing
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bear — the animal

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