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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. capital — a city
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — happy
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. capital — money
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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