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 116 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: stand · lie · can · stem · squash · net

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — to recline
  7. net — in sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. net — after costs
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — for catching
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stem — of a plant

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