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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. suit — clothes
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — a break
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — a safe
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. rest — what's left
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pitch — a sports field

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