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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. object — to protest
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. track — a song
  8. wax — to grow
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chip — to eat
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. perch — the fish
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pound — a weight
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. object — an aim

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