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 elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. degree — an amount
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. scale — in music
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. degree — from a university
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fine — all right
  13. board — a committee
  14. plane — a tool
  15. fine — high quality
  16. board — to get on
  17. degree — temperature
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. stand — to bear
  24. scale — size or range

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