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 120 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: lash · march · bear · stem · mine · can · snap · bass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. mine — for digging
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bass — the fish
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bass — low music
  11. can — to be able to
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. march — the month
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — a tin
  20. snap — to click
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stem — of a plant

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