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: hide · bear · calf · chair · racket · plane · stem · scale

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chair — a leader
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. scale — size or range
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. plane — a tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. scale — in music

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