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: stick · safe · stem · snap · bulb · fall · drill · present

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. drill — a practice
  5. fall — the season
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. present — a gift
  9. stem — to come from
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. present — there
  17. bulb — for light
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. drill — the tool
  20. present — the time now
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to click
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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