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

Word bank: cell · suit · bass · stick · saw · stem · bark · track

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stem — to come from
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bass — the fish
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bass — low music
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. track — a song
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. track — a path
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cell — in biology
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bark — to shout

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