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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. face — part of the head
  5. key — the most important part
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — an aim
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. key — for a lock
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — to point toward
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. key — in music
  16. object — a thing
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. object — to protest
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. dip — to sink
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. plane — a tool
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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