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: lie · roll · stem · calf · arm · tear · plane · clip

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. clip — for paper
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. roll — a list
  10. clip — a video
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stem — to come from
  18. clip — to cut
  19. tear — to rip
  20. roll — a cake
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lie — to recline
  24. arm — a part of something

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