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: prune · stem · tear · mark · calf · kid · cue · cabinet

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. kid — child
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. tear — to rip
  9. mark — a grade
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cue — a signal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — to come from
  15. tear — from crying
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. kid — to tease
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mark — a trace
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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