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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. file — a tool
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. staff — employees
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. staff — employees
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. bark — to shout
  15. staff — a stick
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. file — a line of people
  19. squash — to crush
  20. file — a document
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. plane — a 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