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: temple · stem · snap · nail · pitch · trunk · bay · date

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. snap — to click
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. date — on the calendar

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