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: straw · roll · kick · stem · cell · drill · board · file

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. drill — the tool
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. board — a committee
  11. drill — army training
  12. file — a tool
  13. kick — in football
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. board — to get on
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cell — a phone
  20. file — a document
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stem — to come from
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. file — a line of people

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