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 116 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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. root — of a plant
  4. lean — thin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. root — of a word
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cap — a lid
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. chip — to eat
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. root — the cause
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hand — help
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mark — a grade

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