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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · bass · spring · object · firm · key

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. spring — a coil
  3. key — the most important part
  4. stem — to come from
  5. object — an aim
  6. spring — the season
  7. bass — low music
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — steady
  10. object — a thing
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. spring — of water
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. object — to protest
  16. bass — the fish
  17. firm — decided
  18. key — in music

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