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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. saw — the tool
  18. row — a line
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. stem — to come from
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bass — low music

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