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 116 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pound — a weight
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. court — of law
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. court — for sport
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stem — to come from
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. court — of a king
  20. fall — to drop
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. track — a path

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