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: roll · pass · stem · cap · kid · bass · ruler · land

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. pass — a permit
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. cap — of ice
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. land — ground
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bass — the fish
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. roll — a list
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bass — low music
  19. land — to come down
  20. land — a country
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cap — a hat

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