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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. file — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. track — a path
  5. shower — to wash
  6. file — a document
  7. track — to keep track
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. net — after costs
  11. file — a line of people
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. shower — rain
  15. cap — a hat
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cap — of ice
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. net — in sport
  20. date — the fruit
  21. track — a song
  22. saw — the tool
  23. net — for catching
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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