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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a hint
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — all right
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bark — to shout
  22. cap — of ice
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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