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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — help
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. hand — in cards
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. wax — to grow
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. band — a music group
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. band — a ring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. ruler — a monarch

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