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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fall — the season
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stem — to come from
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. last — final
  10. rock — a stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. last — finally
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. track — a path
  16. rock — music
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pound — a weight
  19. track — a song
  20. lie — to recline
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. last — to go on

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