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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rule — a law
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. court — for sport
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. court — of law
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. court — of a king
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. rule — government
  18. face — to point toward
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. row — a line
  21. face — part of the head
  22. sharp — clever
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. face — to confront

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