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: kid · stem · staff · cabinet · ruler · saw · foot · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. foot — a measure
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. staff — employees
  10. kid — child
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. staff — a stick
  16. saw — the tool
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. saw — the tool
  19. bat — the animal
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. staff — employees
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stem — to come from
  24. kid — to tease

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