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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bound — tied together
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. last — finally
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. last — final
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bound — obliged
  11. last — to go on
  12. degree — from a university
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — certain
  15. tear — from crying
  16. degree — temperature
  17. stand — to bear
  18. fork — in a road
  19. degree — an amount
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fork — a garden tool

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