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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mine — for digging
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stem — to come from
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. prune — to trim
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. foot — a measure
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — in a race
  15. board — to get on
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. board — a committee
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a hole
  24. mine — belonging to me

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