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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — in sport
  10. present — the time now
  11. sharp — clever
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. present — there
  18. net — for catching
  19. present — a gift
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rush — hurry
  22. net — after costs
  23. ball — a great time
  24. calf — of the 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