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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. wind — moving air
  5. staff — a stick
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. ground — a position
  9. clip — a video
  10. stand — to bear
  11. staff — employees
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ground — crushed
  18. bear — the animal
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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