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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cell — in biology
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. swing — music
  11. clip — for paper
  12. rule — a law
  13. cell — a phone
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mark — a trace
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. clip — to cut
  19. rule — government
  20. swing — in golf
  21. clip — a video
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. rule — to rule out

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