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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bore — to tire
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stem — to come from
  7. tear — from crying
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tear — to rip
  11. prune — to trim
  12. board — a committee
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. board — to get on
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bore — to drill
  24. calf — a young animal

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