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: firm · branch · bass · calf · mine · stem · kick · board

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. board — a committee
  10. firm — decided
  11. bass — the fish
  12. firm — a company
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. branch — a division
  15. bass — low music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. mine — for digging
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. board — to get on
  22. stem — to come from
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. kick — in football

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