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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. bear — the animal
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. bear — the animal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. capital — money
  8. scale — size or range
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. land — a country
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wound — an injury
  17. land — ground
  18. scale — in music
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. land — to come down
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. capital — a city
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. scale — for weighing

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