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: fork · patient · stem · wax · calf · net

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. net — in sport
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. net — for catching
  5. stem — to come from
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wax — to grow
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. net — after costs
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. 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