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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. field — a subject
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cell — a phone
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. field — for sport
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. field — farmland
  20. current — of water
  21. track — a song
  22. fork — in a road
  23. track — a path
  24. cell — in a prison

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