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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  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. lean — thin
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. season — of the year
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. season — in sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lean — to bend
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. cue — a signal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. band — a music group
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a ring
  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