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: lie · capital · last · bass · sharp · nail · suit · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bass — low music
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. capital — money
  12. last — finally
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. last — to go on
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. last — final
  23. capital — a city
  24. suit — clothes

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