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 116 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: wound · track · drill · stem · firm · tube · fall · pit

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. drill — army training
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pit — in a race
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. drill — the tool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. firm — decided
  13. track — a path
  14. fall — to drop
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. drill — a practice
  19. fall — the season
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — a container
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wound — an injury
  24. firm — a company

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