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 116 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: face · pit · stem · band · field · capital · suit · object

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. suit — clothes
  3. band — a ring
  4. object — to protest
  5. field — for sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. field — a subject
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. face — to confront
  11. field — farmland
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — money
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. face — to point toward
  17. object — a thing
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — an aim
  20. suit — in cards
  21. band — a music group
  22. stem — to come from
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. face — part of the head

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