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: object · foot · stick · stem · chest · lie · plane · prune

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — to trim
  4. object — to protest
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stem — to come from
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — a tool
  14. object — a thing
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. chest — a box
  17. object — an aim
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. stem — of a plant

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