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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. swing — in golf
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. swing — music
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. land — to come down
  8. tube — a container
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. saw — the tool
  11. foot — a measure
  12. lean — to bend
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. land — a country
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. tube — the underground
  18. land — ground
  19. swing — to play on
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. lean — thin
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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