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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. file — a tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. file — a document
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. court — for sport
  11. board — a committee
  12. bear — the animal
  13. court — of a king
  14. court — of law
  15. tube — a container
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. board — to get on
  24. tube — the underground

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