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 · object · firm · dip · pitcher · roll · last · track

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. roll — a list
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. last — finally
  10. track — a song
  11. object — an aim
  12. last — final
  13. stem — to come from
  14. object — to protest
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. object — a thing
  17. track — a path
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — to keep track
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. last — to go on
  23. roll — a cake
  24. dip — to sink

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