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: nail · plane · cap · mate · current · chest · arm · stem

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mate — a friend
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chest — of your body
  8. cap — a hat
  9. mate — a partner
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stem — to come from
  15. current — of water
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chest — a box
  19. mate — to breed
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cap — a lid

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