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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. board — a committee
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — to trim
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rest — what's left
  20. board — to get on
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. bear — the animal
  24. hand — help

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