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: stem · chest · bay · scale · fan · tear · rush · fall

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. chest — a box
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fall — to drop
  9. tear — from crying
  10. scale — in music
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fall — the season
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rush — to hurry

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