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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. spell — letters
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chip — to eat
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. spell — a short time
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. staff — employees
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. spell — magic
  24. staff — employees

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