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: trunk · staff · firm · row · calf · lean · pound · field

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. firm — decided
  3. staff — a stick
  4. field — for sport
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. field — a subject
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — thin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — a line
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. firm — a company
  14. staff — employees
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. field — farmland
  17. firm — steady
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pound — a weight
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. row — a quarrel

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