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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fall — the season
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pass — a permit
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rock — a stone
  9. mug — a face
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — music
  24. wind — moving air

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