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 · content · fan · nail · bear · cell · pound · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. content — the amount
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bear — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cell — a phone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cell — in biology
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. content — happy
  24. pound — for dogs

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