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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. prune — to trim
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. track — a path
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. land — ground
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. plane — a tool
  10. track — to keep track
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. land — a country
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — to trim
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. hide — to keep secret

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