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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fall — to drop
  5. capital — a city
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. rest — what's left
  9. fall — the season
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. game — a match
  15. capital — money
  16. cap — of ice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rest — a break
  20. fall — to drop
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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