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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bear — the animal
  5. row — a line
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bear — the animal
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — high quality
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. file — a document
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fine — all right
  19. file — a tool
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. file — a line of people
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — to paddle

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