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: charge · key · pound · season · wound · stem · wind · firm

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. charge — a price
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. firm — decided
  5. pound — a weight
  6. charge — in control
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. season — in sport
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wind — moving air
  13. season — of the year
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. wind — moving air
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wound — an injury
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. key — in music

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