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: plane · kick · stem · craft · ground · chest · bass · mug

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a cup
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. craft — boats
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. craft — a skill
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bass — the fish
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. kick — in football
  16. stem — to come from
  17. chest — of your body
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. bass — low music
  24. mug — a face

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