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: hide · pit · bowl · stem · leaves · trunk · bass · fine

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — all right
  12. bass — low music
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pit — a hole
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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