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: tear · wake · leaves · season · stock · lie · hide · bass

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. tear — from crying
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. stock — shares
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. lie — to recline
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stock — goods
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — to rip
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bass — the fish
  24. season — of the year

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