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

Word bank: leaves · mark · object · chest · stand · cap · hide · craft

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cap — a lid
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. cap — a hat
  6. craft — boats
  7. object — a thing
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chest — of your body
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cap — of ice
  14. object — to protest
  15. chest — a box
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. chest — of your body
  22. craft — a skill
  23. object — an aim
  24. mark — a grade

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