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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. cap — of ice
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. spell — a short time
  5. last — final
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bulb — for light
  8. cap — a hat
  9. stem — to come from
  10. spell — magic
  11. bulb — for light
  12. snap — to click
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. spell — letters
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. last — finally
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cap — a lid
  24. last — to go on

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