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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. scale — in music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. land — ground
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bear — the animal
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. roll — a list
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. scale — size or range
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. toast — bread
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. land — to come down
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stem — to come from
  20. roll — a cake
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. land — a country
  24. bear — the animal

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