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: wound · cue · arm · pit · bear · fall · charge · stem

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. charge — in control
  11. cue — a hint
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fall — the season
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. fall — to drop
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. wound — an injury
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — a part of something

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