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: nail · degree · hand · pitch · bank · stem · file · stand

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pitch — completely
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. degree — an amount
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. file — a tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. file — a document
  13. hand — help
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bank — of a river
  17. degree — temperature
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bank — for money
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. hand — part of the body

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