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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  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. season — of the year
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. season — in sport
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mug — a face
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. firm — decided
  20. can — a tin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  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