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: straw · mug · bank · stem · drill · pit · scale · firm

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bank — for money
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. mug — a cup
  9. firm — decided
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pit — a hole
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bank — for money
  15. firm — a company
  16. drill — army training
  17. mug — to rob
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. stem — to come from
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. mug — a face
  23. pit — in a race
  24. scale — for weighing

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