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 got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. land — to come down
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. hand — help
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — in cards
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — ground
  13. perch — the fish
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stem — to come from
  20. land — a country
  21. lie — to recline
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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