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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. sharp — clever
  4. chest — a box
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. land — to come down
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chest — of your body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. staff — employees
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. land — ground
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stand — to bear
  18. staff — employees
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. dip — to sink
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. chest — of your body
  24. dip — a sauce

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