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: game · craft · chair · swing · calf · stem · track · dip

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stem — to come from
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. swing — music
  7. game — a match
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. game — wild animals
  10. dip — to sink
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. track — to keep track
  13. swing — in golf
  14. swing — to play on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. track — a path
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. track — a song
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. craft — boats

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