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: stock · pitcher · kick · mine · bay · stem · bear · rash

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rash — a series
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stock — goods
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stock — shares
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. stem — to come from
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. kick — in football
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kick — a thrill

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