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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bark — to shout
  3. field — a subject
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. bound — tied together
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. tube — the underground
  14. rock — music
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. field — farmland
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — to bear
  21. dip — to sink
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. tube — a container
  24. field — for sport

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