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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fork — in a road
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stand — to bear
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pop — music
  9. fall — the season
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. pop — soda
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bass — low music
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bass — the fish

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