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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · stem · season · mark · mine · rush

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. mine — for digging
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. season — of the year
  13. rush — hurry
  14. season — in sport
  15. stem — to come from
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hide — to keep secret

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