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

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stem — to come from
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. swing — to play on
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. mate — to breed
  10. roll — a list
  11. net — for catching
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mate — a partner
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — in sport
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. swing — in golf
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. swing — music
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bay — a horse colour

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