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: file · object · stem · season · mug · kid · march · cell

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. march — the month
  7. object — to protest
  8. march — music
  9. cell — a phone
  10. season — of the year
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — the month
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. kid — child
  15. mug — a cup
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. object — a thing
  19. file — a tool
  20. mug — a face
  21. cell — in biology
  22. season — in sport
  23. stem — to come from
  24. kid — to tease

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