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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. branch — a division
  4. bass — the fish
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. firm — decided
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. bass — low music
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — army training
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mine — for digging
  23. lie — to recline
  24. branch — of a bank

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