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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wave · fork · stem · chest · press · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chest — of your body
  3. press — to push
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. press — a publisher
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. chest — of your body
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chest — a box
  18. wave — a sudden rise

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