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 120 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: last · cap · pit · hide · bark · suit · wax · stem

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. last — to go on
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. wax — to grow
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. last — final
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pit — a hole
  17. cap — a lid
  18. last — finally
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — to shout

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