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: stem · key · bear · craft · bass · pitch · firm · cold

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stem — to come from
  3. firm — steady
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — decided
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. firm — a company
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bass — low music
  17. craft — boats
  18. cold — not warm
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cold — an illness
  23. pitch — completely
  24. cold — the Cold War

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