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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. game — a match
  8. file — a document
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lie — to recline
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. file — a tool
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bear — the animal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bear — to put up with

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