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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. perch — the fish
  9. saw — the tool
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. ball — a great time
  19. staff — employees
  20. ball — a dance
  21. chair — a leader
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  24. saw — the tool

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