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: bass · can · wake · stand · root · net · rush · bear

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bear — the animal
  5. root — the cause
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bass — the fish
  9. can — a tin
  10. root — of a word
  11. bass — low music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. net — for catching
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stand — to bear
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wake — a trail
  24. net — in sport

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