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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stock — shares
  5. key — in music
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lean — to bend
  8. fall — the season
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mark — a grade
  17. stock — goods
  18. stem — to come from
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. lean — thin
  21. mark — a trace
  22. fall — to drop
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. key — the most important part

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