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: cabinet · rush · stand · trunk · foot · wake · stem · wind

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rush — hurry
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. foot — a measure
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stand — to bear
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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