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: cell · tear · bowl · nail · stem · bay · jam · rock

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cell — a phone
  7. rock — music
  8. tear — from crying
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. tear — from crying
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. tear — to rip
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bowl — to roll

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