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: stand · present · arm · calf · band · season · bulb · root

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. root — of a word
  3. band — a music group
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. root — of a plant
  6. present — there
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — a gift
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. stand — to bear
  19. band — a ring
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. root — the cause
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. season — in sport
  24. present — the time now

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