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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. pass — a permit
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bark — to shout
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — in music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. deal — to handle
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. key — for a lock
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bass — low music
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pitcher — a jug

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