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: chair · kick · drill · stem · tube · foot · nail · land

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. stem — to come from
  5. drill — a practice
  6. tube — the underground
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. land — ground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. kick — in football
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. drill — the tool
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. drill — army training
  19. tube — a container
  20. land — to come down
  21. land — a country
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. chair — a leader

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