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: bark · chip · wake · calf · cabinet · tube · stem · wave

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. tube — a container
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. tube — the underground
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bark — to shout
  24. wake — before a funeral

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