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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rule — a law
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. wind — moving air
  7. shower — rain
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rule — government
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bark — of a tree

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