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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. land — a country
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bark — to shout
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. land — ground
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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