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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — obliged
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. track — to keep track
  7. bound — tied together
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. deal — to handle
  10. track — a path
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. track — a song
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bound — certain
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — a permit
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stem — to come from

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