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 120 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. deal — to handle
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. current — happening now
  5. sharp — clever
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. current — of water
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stem — to come from
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cap — a hat
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. cap — of ice
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. content — happy
  20. cap — a lid
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. current — electric
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. deal — a big deal

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