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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · cap · stem · chest · pit · fall

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. chest — a box
  3. race — humankind
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fall — the season
  8. chest — of your body
  9. cap — a hat
  10. chest — of your body
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pit — in a race
  16. fall — to drop
  17. race — a contest
  18. race — the arms race

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