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: saw · stem · straw · stick · key · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  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. fall — the season
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. fall — to drop
  4. saw — the tool
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. key — in music
  11. stem — to come from
  12. key — the most important part
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. saw — the tool
  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