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: stem · chest · ground · saw · plane · pitch

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pitch — completely
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chest — of your body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. ground — crushed
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chest — a box
  16. saw — the tool
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — a stem cell

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