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 · cell · rash · pound · trunk · nail · content · jam

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rash — hasty
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pound — a weight
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. cell — a phone
  13. content — happy
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. cell — in biology
  21. rash — a series
  22. stem — to come from
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. nail — for a hammer

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