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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. last — final
  4. land — a country
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fall — to drop
  11. land — ground
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — of a river
  14. land — to come down
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. last — to go on
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bank — for money
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. fall — the season
  24. last — finally

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