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 120 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: suit · lean · fork · cap · cell · bat · stem · object

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. cap — of ice
  3. object — a thing
  4. stem — to come from
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. cell — a phone
  9. bat — the animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — a lid
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. lean — thin
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — in cards
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. object — an aim
  21. cap — a hat
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fork — in a road

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