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: stem · wound · land · track · lean · staff · drill · patient

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. drill — army training
  3. staff — employees
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — a practice
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. land — to come down
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. drill — the tool
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. track — a song
  14. stem — to come from
  15. land — a country
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wound — an injury
  18. staff — employees
  19. land — ground
  20. wound — an injury
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. staff — a stick
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. track — a path

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