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: track · bark · hide · content · leaves · stem · date · saw

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. content — the amount
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. saw — the tool
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. content — happy
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. track — a path
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. stem — to come from
  15. track — a song
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. date — the fruit
  18. track — to keep track
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. saw — the tool

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