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 · vault · ground · mine · lean · stick · present · race

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. present — there
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. present — the time now
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lean — thin
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ground — crushed
  13. race — humankind
  14. race — a contest
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. present — a gift
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. ground — a position
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ground — the earth
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. race — the arms race
  24. mine — for digging

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