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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. court — for sport
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. snap — to click
  14. branch — a division
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — of ice
  19. stem — to come from
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. lie — to recline

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