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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rush — hurry
  7. stem — to come from
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stock — goods
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stock — shares
  17. bear — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rush — to hurry

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