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 116 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. ground — the earth
  9. stem — to come from
  10. firm — decided
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fall — the season
  14. object — a thing
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. file — a document
  19. ground — a position
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. ground — crushed
  24. fall — to drop

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