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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. deal — to handle
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. field — a subject
  12. stem — to come from
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a skill
  20. field — farmland
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. field — for sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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