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: sharp · field · stem · deal · bear · bass · snap · calf

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. sharp — clever
  15. snap — to click
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bass — low music
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. field — a subject
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. field — for sport
  24. field — farmland

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