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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — army training
  3. face — part of the head
  4. drill — the tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — to confront
  12. shower — rain
  13. chair — a leader
  14. press — a publisher
  15. shower — to wash
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — to push
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitch — completely
  24. drill — a practice

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