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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. capital — money
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a face
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. capital — a city
  16. pop — to visit
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mug — a cup
  19. track — a path
  20. fork — in a road
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pop — soda
  24. ruler — a monarch

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