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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cap — a hat
  4. spring — the season
  5. spring — a coil
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stem — to come from
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a lid
  18. key — for a lock
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. lie — to recline
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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