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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. mate — to breed
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stand — to bear
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. saw — the tool
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. leaves — of a tree

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