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 · perch · degree · stem · hide · pound · mark · staff

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. staff — employees
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — to come from
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mark — a trace
  14. staff — a stick
  15. degree — from a university
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pound — a weight
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. degree — temperature
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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