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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stem — to come from
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. tear — from crying
  6. foot — a measure
  7. tear — to rip
  8. wound — an injury
  9. root — of a word
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. tear — from crying
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. root — the cause
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wound — an injury

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