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 120 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: chair · stem · bank · stand · wave · arm · fall · straw

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bank — for money
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. chair — a leader
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stem — to come from
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fall — to drop
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. stand — to bear
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fall — the season
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fall — to drop
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. arm — part of the body

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