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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mug — to rob
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. firm — steady
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mug — a cup
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fall — to drop
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. game — a match
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. mug — a face
  21. firm — a company
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. fall — the season
  24. hide — to keep secret

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