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: bore · arm · wake · firm · stem · cell · nail · press

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bore — to drill
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. press — a publisher
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cell — a phone
  11. stem — to come from
  12. firm — a company
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. firm — steady
  16. wake — a trail
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. press — to push
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. press — newspapers
  24. cell — in biology

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