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: nail · temple · fall · stem · board · season · bay · mark

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. board — to get on
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. season — of the year
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fall — the season
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mark — a grade
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — in sport
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. board — a committee
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. fall — to drop

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