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: stand · cabinet · lie · craft · stem · mine · scale · key

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. key — the most important part
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — boats
  20. key — for a lock
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. key — in music

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