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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. bank — for money
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — for money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — to come from
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. stand — to bear
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. last — final
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bank — of a river
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. last — finally
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. calf — a young 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