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 120 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. pop — music
  3. stem — to come from
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pop — soda
  6. firm — a company
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. content — happy
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. firm — decided
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. content — the amount

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