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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. roll — a list
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. date — the fruit
  12. firm — steady
  13. roll — a cake
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. stem — to come from
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stand — to bear

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