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: lie · bass · present · cap · ruler · stem · race · bound

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. race — humankind
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. race — a contest
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — of ice
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — there
  13. cap — a lid
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. present — a gift
  18. cap — a hat
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bound — tied together
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. present — the time now

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