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: stick · stem · mark · calf · suit · racket · ground · chest

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. stem — to come from
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — a grade
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. chest — a box
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — a trace
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. suit — in cards
  21. chest — of your body
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. ground — the earth
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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