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

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. cell — in biology
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. craft — boats
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pound — a weight
  24. wax — in the ear

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