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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. tear — from crying
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tear — to rip
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — magic
  12. cell — a phone
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. land — a country
  15. tear — from crying
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. land — ground
  18. can — to be able to
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. can — a tin
  22. cell — in biology
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bowl — a dish

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