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: key · stem · band · calf · snap · bear · bulb · charge

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. key — in music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — in control
  12. bear — the animal
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. key — the most important part
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — for a lock
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. band — a music group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — for light

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