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: cabinet · wave · lean · hide · degree · suit · leaves · stem

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  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. cabinet — ministers
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. degree — from a university
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. lean — to bend
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. degree — temperature
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lean — thin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. suit — clothes
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. suit — in cards
  23. degree — an amount
  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