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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. land — to come down
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. mug — to rob
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. land — a country
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mug — a face
  19. mug — a cup
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. land — ground
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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