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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bank — of a river
  4. season — in sport
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. board — to get on
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bank — for money
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. court — of a king
  15. face — to point toward
  16. court — of law
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. board — a committee
  20. season — of the year
  21. face — to confront
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. court — for sport
  24. calf — a young animal

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