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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. land — a country
  4. board — to get on
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. land — ground
  9. board — a committee
  10. ball — a great time
  11. kick — in football
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — thin
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. land — to come down
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. ball — a dance
  24. kick — with a leg

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