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: stem · snap · chip · field · nail · foot · rock · row

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. field — a subject
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. chip — to eat
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. rock — music
  9. field — farmland
  10. field — for sport
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. row — a line
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. row — to paddle
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. snap — to click
  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