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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. sharp — clever
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. bark — to shout
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. lie — to recline
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rash — a series
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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