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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. lie — to recline
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. cue — a signal
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rock — a stone
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rock — music
  19. cue — for pool
  20. rest — a break
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. lie — an untruth

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