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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. toast — bread
  8. capital — money
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. spell — letters
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spell — a short time
  15. kick — in football
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. spell — magic
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. capital — a city
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. kick — with a leg
  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