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: season · root · calf · chest · suit · stem · straw · scale

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. scale — in music
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stem — to come from
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — of a word
  11. chest — of your body
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. chest — of your body
  15. season — of the year
  16. suit — clothes
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. chest — a box
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. season — in sport

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