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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — in a race
  8. chest — a box
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fork — in a road
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. squash — to crush

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