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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. roll — a cake
  8. bank — of a river
  9. file — a document
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. roll — a list
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stem — to come from
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bank — for money
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bank — for money

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