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

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — the animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. dip — to sink
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. craft — boats
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pound — a weight
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. branch — a division
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. saw — the tool
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. deal — to handle
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. bear — the animal

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