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: fall · scale · pitcher · rock · stem · bore · hand · ground

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stem — to come from
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. scale — size or range
  12. ground — a position
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — music
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fall — the season
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ground — crushed
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — to drill
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. ground — the earth

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