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: pit · roll · capital · calf · rock · press · lean · stem

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. press — to push
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. roll — a list
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rock — music
  12. press — a publisher
  13. roll — a cake
  14. lean — to bend
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. capital — money
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. capital — a city
  20. pit — a hole
  21. press — newspapers
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lean — thin
  24. roll — on a roll

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