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: bass · craft · season · stem · rule · leaves · lean · wound

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. craft — boats
  3. rule — government
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rule — a law
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. bass — the fish
  12. lean — to bend
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bass — low music
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. lean — thin
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. season — of the year
  24. leaves — lets stay

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