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: stem · club · mark · hide · pit · ground · safe · ball

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mark — a trace
  4. ground — a position
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. club — for golf
  11. stem — to come from
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ball — a dance
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mark — a grade
  21. club — for dancing
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — crushed

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