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 had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bank — of a river
  7. cell — a phone
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bank — for money
  10. face — to point toward
  11. stem — to come from
  12. field — a subject
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. field — for sport
  18. bore — to drill
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. cell — in biology
  23. bank — for money
  24. temple — a place of worship

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