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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. spell — letters
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — a song
  7. spell — a short time
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. drill — army training
  11. tear — from crying
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tear — from crying
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tear — to rip
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. spell — magic
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stem — of a plant

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