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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. board — to get on
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rock — music
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pit — in a race
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. staff — a stick
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stem — to come from
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rock — a stone
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. staff — employees
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. staff — employees
  21. roll — a list
  22. board — a committee
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — to sink

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