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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. track — a path
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. stem — to come from
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. track — a song
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bore — to tire
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — boats

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