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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wind — moving air
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. wind — moving air
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — hurry
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. mark — a grade
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — to keep track

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