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: wound · stand · lash · bay · craft · leaves · tear · stem

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wound — an injury
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. tear — from crying
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. craft — boats
  18. stem — to come from
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wound — an injury
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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