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: net · safe · mouse · straw · bark · stem · race · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — for catching
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. race — a contest
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bark — to shout
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. net — in sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. race — the arms race
  21. saw — the tool
  22. race — humankind
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mouse — the animal

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