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: stand · nail · safe · land · pitcher · stem · coach · shower

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. land — ground
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. shower — to wash
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. shower — rain
  20. stand — to bear
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. land — a country

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