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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. season — of the year
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rash — hasty
  5. squash — to crush
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stem — to come from
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. wake — a trail
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. craft — boats
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rash — a series
  22. craft — a skill
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

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