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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. craft — boats
  4. suit — in cards
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. net — for catching
  7. suit — to fit
  8. net — in sport
  9. scale — size or range
  10. craft — a skill
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stem — to come from
  15. scale — in music
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a ring
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. suit — clothes
  23. net — after costs
  24. straw — a straw man

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