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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. chest — of your body
  3. present — the time now
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — steady
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. chest — a box
  9. firm — decided
  10. bear — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bound — tied together
  13. bound — certain
  14. present — there
  15. dip — to sink
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. present — a gift
  18. firm — a company
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. stem — to come from
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bound — obliged

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