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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. board — a committee
  4. net — for catching
  5. board — to get on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. net — after costs
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. rock — music
  11. track — to keep track
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. rock — a stone
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. net — in sport
  16. track — a song
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. track — a path
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. saw — the tool

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