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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bass — the fish
  3. mate — to breed
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bass — low music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mate — a partner
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mate — a friend
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rock — music
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bear — the animal
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. straw — dry grass

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