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: can · drill · bark · march · fall · stand · spell · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. drill — a practice
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. drill — the tool
  8. spell — magic
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fall — the season
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. spell — a short time
  15. stem — to come from
  16. march — music
  17. drill — army training
  18. march — the month
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spell — letters
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. stand — to bear
  23. march — the month
  24. bark — to shout

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