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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. last — to go on
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of law
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — for sport
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. last — final
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. last — finally
  24. cell — a phone

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