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 116 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. firm — steady
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. spring — of water
  8. wind — moving air
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. wind — moving air
  14. firm — a company
  15. season — in sport
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. firm — decided
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — a stem cell

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