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: bark · bear · firm · bay · hand · stem · fork · pitcher

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bark — to shout
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — steady
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. hand — help
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — decided
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hand — part of the body

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