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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. clip — a video
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. clip — to cut
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bore — to tire
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rest — a break
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. craft — boats
  22. deal — to handle
  23. clip — for paper
  24. deal — an agreement

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