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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. hand — in cards
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stem — to come from
  5. chair — a leader
  6. hand — help
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bank — for money
  12. wake — a trail
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bark — to shout
  18. bank — for money
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chair — a professorship

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