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: rush · stem · dip · field · can · key · pitcher · stick

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. can — to be able to
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. dip — to sink
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rush — hurry
  18. field — for sport
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — for a lock
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. can — a tin
  24. field — a subject

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