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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. can — a tin
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spring — the season
  11. spring — of water
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spring — a coil
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. scale — in music

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