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: foot · stem · nail · jam · cell · deal · track · wave

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cell — in biology
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cell — a phone
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. track — a path
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. track — a song
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. deal — a big deal

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