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: trunk · bass · mouse · pound · mark · stem · straw · pit

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the fish
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pound — a weight
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mark — a trace
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stem — to come from

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