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 happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. vault — a safe
  5. net — after costs
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. net — in sport
  12. key — in music
  13. last — finally
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. season — of the year
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — for a lock
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — final
  22. net — for catching
  23. season — in sport
  24. key — the most important part

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