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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mark — a grade
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. drill — a practice
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stand — to bear
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. drill — army training
  22. perch — the fish
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fan — to cool the air

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