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: bat · row · mark · fine · drill · racket · stem · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mark — a trace
  3. row — a line
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. row — to paddle
  7. drill — the tool
  8. fine — high quality
  9. mark — a grade
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bat — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — all right
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. stem — of a plant

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