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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — for a lock
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. object — to protest
  12. key — in music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. object — an aim
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — the most important part
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. object — a thing

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