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: stem · bay · court · bank · season · bulb · lean · bear

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. court — of law
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. court — of a king
  8. lean — thin
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. court — for sport
  13. stem — to come from
  14. season — of the year
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bulb — for light
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bank — for money
  22. season — in sport
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bear — the animal

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