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

Word bank: race · tear · stem · perch · stand · arm

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. tear — to rip
  4. perch — the fish
  5. race — a contest
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. race — the arms race
  14. stand — to bear
  15. tear — from crying
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. tear — from crying
  18. race — humankind

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