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: bore · stem · game · dip · wound · row · vault · rest

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rest — a break
  12. vault — a safe
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rest — what's left
  15. game — a match
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wound — an injury
  21. row — a line
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stem — to come from
  24. game — wild animals

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