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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. fine — all right
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. rash — a series
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. cold — not warm
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cell — in biology

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