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: kid · stem · stick · fall · foot · scale · bowl · deal

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fall — the season
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fall — to drop
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stem — to come from
  10. scale — in music
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kid — to tease
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fall — to drop
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. kid — child
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — size or range

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