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 120 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: mark · field · file · stem · cue · temple · pound · bulb

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. field — a subject
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. field — for sport
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stem — to come from
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mark — a trace
  16. file — a tool
  17. field — farmland
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. file — a document
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. temple — side of the head

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