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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pound — a weight
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. land — ground
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fine — all right
  17. craft — boats
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — a country
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. land — to come down

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