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: straw · can · press · stem · lie · drill · tube · band

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — the tool
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — army training
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. press — a publisher
  8. stem — to come from
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. tube — a container
  13. can — a tin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. drill — a practice
  16. band — a music group
  17. press — to push
  18. press — newspapers
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. can — a tin
  21. band — a ring
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lie — to recline
  24. tube — the underground

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