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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. firm — a company
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. tear — to rip
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stem — to come from
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. firm — steady
  16. track — a path
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ground — a position
  19. tear — from crying
  20. track — to keep track
  21. firm — decided
  22. ground — the earth
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tear — from crying

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