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

Word bank: hide · stem · cue · land · bay · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. stem — to come from
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. cue — a hint
  6. land — ground
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — to come down
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. land — a country
  14. bass — low music
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. cue — a signal

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