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: staff · bore · hide · bound · last · stem · mug · object

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — to tire
  6. last — finally
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bound — certain
  9. object — an aim
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — a face
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mug — to rob
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. object — a thing
  20. bound — tied together
  21. last — final
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stem — of a plant

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