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 · bound · leaves · chair · date · calf · current · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. date — the fruit
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. stem — to come from
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. chair — a leader
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. current — electric
  22. bound — obliged
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bound — certain

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