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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. content — the amount
  5. mark — a trace
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lie — to recline
  10. tear — from crying
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. tube — a container
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — happy
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. mark — a grade

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