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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. cap — a lid
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pop — to visit
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cap — a hat
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cap — of ice
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. sharp — clever

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