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: staff · firm · stand · stem · stick · kid

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. kid — child
  2. firm — steady
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — to bear
  9. staff — employees
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. staff — employees
  12. kid — to tease
  13. firm — decided
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. firm — a company
  17. staff — a stick
  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