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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. present — there
  3. saw — the tool
  4. staff — a stick
  5. root — the cause
  6. staff — employees
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. saw — the tool
  9. root — of a word
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. present — the time now
  14. root — of a plant
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. staff — employees
  21. cap — of ice
  22. roll — a cake
  23. present — a gift
  24. fan — a supporter

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