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 · ruler · jam · pitcher · foot · mine · bank · patient

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mine — for digging
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. foot — a measure
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bank — of a river
  10. bank — for money
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. bank — for money
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. pitcher — a jug

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