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: rush · land · dip · bear · scale · stem · arm · track

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. land — ground
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. track — a path
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — a song
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — a country
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — to sink
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. scale — size or range
  22. track — to keep track
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. land — to come down

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