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 116 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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. firm — steady
  5. race — humankind
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stem — to come from
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. firm — a company
  10. club — for golf
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bass — the fish
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bass — low music
  18. bore — to drill
  19. firm — decided
  20. sharp — clever
  21. club — a group
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. race — a contest
  24. bore — to tire

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