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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cell — a phone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mate — to breed
  9. shower — to wash
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. shower — rain
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. cell — in biology
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mate — a partner
  17. wound — an injury
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. chair — a leader
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. chair — to sit on

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