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: jam · stem · pitch · key · row · foot · object · fall

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pitch — completely
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. row — a line
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fall — the season
  13. key — in music
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. object — an aim
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fall — to drop
  20. row — to paddle
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. foot — a measure
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. stem — to come from

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