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 120 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: bat · stick · calf · cell · stand · object · kick · root

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. bat — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. cell — a phone
  5. kick — in football
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stand — to bear
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. root — the cause
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. root — of a word
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — an aim
  24. bat — for baseball

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