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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. prune — to trim
  4. present — the time now
  5. prune — to trim
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pass — a permit
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. present — there
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. shower — rain
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. present — a gift
  18. stem — to come from
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. firm — decided

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