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: chair · wave · scale · stick · stem · rest

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rest — a break
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. scale — in music
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chair — a leader
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chair — to sit on

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