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: pass · pop · mine · dip · pit · scale · stem · hide

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pop — music
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. scale — in music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. dip — to sink
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pop — soda
  24. pass — to succeed

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