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: bowl · craft · mouse · wake · stem · bear · staff · leaves

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. wake — a trail
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. stem — to come from
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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