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: cold · fan · track · bay · stem · temple · charge · can

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cold — not warm
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. track — a path
  8. can — to be able to
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. charge — a price
  11. track — a song
  12. can — a tin
  13. stem — to come from
  14. cold — an illness
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. charge — in control
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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