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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. staff — a stick
  14. wind — moving air
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — employees
  20. key — the most important part
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. key — in music
  23. staff — employees
  24. calf — a young animal

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