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: stem · ball · saw · date · key · racket · calf · stick

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stem — to come from
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — in music
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. date — the fruit
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a great time

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