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: net · bear · stem · bound · rash · kick · jam · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. net — in sport
  3. kick — in football
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bound — obliged
  7. rash — hasty
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. net — after costs
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. net — for catching
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — certain
  19. stem — to come from
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. rash — a series
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — with a leg

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