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: present · drill · pitch · cabinet · stem · stick · clip · stand

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. present — there
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. drill — army training
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — the tool
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stand — to bear
  13. present — a gift
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. clip — for paper
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. drill — a practice
  20. clip — a video
  21. pitch — completely
  22. present — the time now
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stand — for spectators

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