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: hand · bass · stem · key · wind · firm · stand · mine

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. key — in music
  3. key — for a lock
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. firm — steady
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. hand — help
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — decided
  13. wind — moving air
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. firm — a company
  16. stem — to come from
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. bass — the fish
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. key — the most important part
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bass — low music
  24. mine — for digging

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