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 116 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cap — of ice
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cap — a lid
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cap — a hat
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mug — a face
  18. cue — for pool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mug — to rob
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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