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 big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. firm — a company
  6. perch — the fish
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bass — the fish
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. bass — low music
  17. content — the amount
  18. content — happy
  19. firm — steady
  20. kick — in football
  21. stem — to come from
  22. pound — a weight
  23. firm — decided
  24. pound — for dogs

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