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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. roll — a cake
  6. roll — a list
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pass — a permit
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. toast — bread
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — a trail

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