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 English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. cue — for pool
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fine — all right
  13. wound — an injury
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cue — a hint
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. kid — to tease
  21. toast — bread
  22. kid — child
  23. cue — a signal
  24. dip — to dunk

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