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: rash · cue · branch · pitcher · bear · net · ruler · stem

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. cue — a hint
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. net — in sport
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. branch — a division
  11. cue — for pool
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. net — for catching
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. net — after costs
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stem — to come from

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