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: kick · scale · snap · roll · ruler · field · bank · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. roll — a list
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — farmland
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. field — a subject
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. snap — to click
  13. bank — for money
  14. scale — size or range
  15. kick — in football
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. bank — of a river
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. roll — a cake
  22. scale — in music
  23. bank — for money
  24. stem — to come from

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