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 120 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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rest — a break
  6. spring — the season
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. chip — to eat
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. spring — of water
  20. spring — a coil
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. stem — to come from
  24. chip — for betting

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