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: bank · swing · degree · nail · stem · arm · cap · cue

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bank — of a river
  4. swing — in golf
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. degree — an amount
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bank — for money
  13. degree — from a university
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bank — for money
  16. cue — a signal
  17. degree — temperature
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. stem — to come from
  20. swing — to play on
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cue — for pool

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