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: calf · stick · net · stem · bass · jam · press · lean

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. press — newspapers
  3. bass — the fish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. bass — low music
  8. press — to push
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stem — to come from
  12. net — for catching
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lean — thin
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lean — to bend
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. net — in sport
  24. press — a publisher

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