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 · pass · chip · bass · court · lean · bore · temple

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bass — low music
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. court — of law
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stem — to come from
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bore — to drill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lean — thin
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pass — a permit
  23. court — of a king
  24. bass — the instrument

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