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: stem · stick · pit · bowl · snap · pound · key · cap

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — a hat
  3. snap — to click
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. pit — a hole
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pound — a weight
  20. key — for a lock
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bowl — a dish

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