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: mine · saw · toast · calf · stem · fork · firm · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. firm — a company
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. firm — decided
  9. fork — in a road
  10. saw — the tool
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. wound — an injury
  17. toast — bread
  18. stem — to come from
  19. firm — steady
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. mine — for digging
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. stem — of a plant

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