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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. mark — a trace
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. cap — of ice
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. stem — to come from
  13. row — to paddle
  14. cap — a hat
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. row — a line
  21. perch — the fish
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mark — a grade

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