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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. foot — a measure
  3. land — ground
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. land — to come down
  8. cap — a lid
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. land — a country
  13. cap — of ice
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cap — a hat
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. suit — to fit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. saw — the tool

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