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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. club — for dancing
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. cell — a phone
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cell — in biology
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. dip — to sink
  15. club — a group
  16. cap — a hat
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. toast — bread
  19. cap — of ice
  20. club — for golf
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cap — a lid
  24. calf — of the leg

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