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

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mug — a face
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tear — to rip
  8. mug — to rob
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mug — a cup
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bear — to put up with

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