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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pit — in a race
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. saw — the tool
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mine — for digging
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stem — to come from
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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