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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chip — to eat
  5. rest — a break
  6. bass — low music
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rest — what's left
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mate — a partner
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. board — to get 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