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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bass — low music
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. branch — a division
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. key — for a lock
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wax — to grow
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wave — of the sea

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