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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. vault — a safe
  3. spring — the season
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. stock — shares
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. spring — a coil
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stock — goods
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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