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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. last — final
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. last — finally
  8. mug — a face
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fall — the season
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. bank — for money
  15. mug — a cup
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. last — to go on
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stem — to come from
  24. calf — of the leg

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