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: wax · stem · ground · bore · field · row · hide · craft

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — farmland
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ground — the earth
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — to grow
  13. row — a line
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to tire
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. field — a subject
  24. stem — to come from

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