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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. cap — of ice
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lean — thin
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to tire
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. lean — to bend
  21. chip — for betting
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. cap — a hat

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