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

Word bank: wake · hide · fall · pitch · tube · mark · mouse · stem

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. stem — to come from
  4. tube — a container
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — the underground
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fall — the season
  24. mouse — for a computer

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