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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. can — a tin
  4. track — to keep track
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. track — a path
  10. stem — to come from
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. current — of water
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. bass — the fish
  16. firm — steady
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bass — low music
  19. track — a song
  20. current — happening now
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. firm — decided
  23. current — electric
  24. firm — a company

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