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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. current — electric
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. current — happening now
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. current — of water
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bank — for money
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rest — a break
  15. bank — for money
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chest — a box

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