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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. court — for sport
  5. branch — a division
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. court — of a king
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. dip — to sink
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. court — of law
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. kick — in football
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. cold — not warm
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. bank — for money

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