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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wake — a trail
  7. rash — hasty
  8. cold — an illness
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. rash — a series
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. cold — not warm
  24. wave — with your hand

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