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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bat — the animal
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stock — shares
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bass — low music
  17. stock — goods
  18. fine — all right
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bat — in an idiom

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