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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. hand — in cards
  7. object — to protest
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. chest — a box
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. object — a thing
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. object — an aim
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bass — low music
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. hand — help
  21. chair — a leader
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chest — of your body

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