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: stem · mark · rock · kick · stand · sharp · cold · bear

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kick — in football
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rock — music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stem — to come from
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rock — a stone
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. cold — not warm
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — to bear
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. mark — a grade
  22. cold — an illness
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bear — the animal

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