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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. drill — a practice
  3. rock — music
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. swing — music
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. key — in music
  10. craft — boats
  11. swing — in golf
  12. drill — the tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — to play on
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. race — humankind
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. key — for a lock
  21. race — a contest
  22. race — the arms race
  23. drill — army training
  24. rock — a stone

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