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: mine · last · bay · firm · spring · cap · stem · staff

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. last — finally
  4. cap — a hat
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. cap — of ice
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. spring — of water
  12. firm — decided
  13. spring — the season
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cap — a lid
  16. spring — a coil
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — employees
  19. last — to go on
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. staff — employees
  22. last — final
  23. staff — a stick
  24. firm — a company

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