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: racket · toast · bear · ruler · stem · bass · bat · rest

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — low music
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. rest — a break
  14. rest — what's left
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — to come from
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bat — for baseball

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