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 · fan · wound · lie · firm · coach · pit · toast

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. toast — bread
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. pit — a hole
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — a company
  15. wound — an injury
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. lie — to recline
  22. firm — decided
  23. pit — in a race
  24. coach — a trainer

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