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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. rest — what's left
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. file — a document
  8. pop — music
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pop — to visit
  13. file — a tool
  14. craft — boats
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mug — to rob
  17. rest — a break
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pop — soda
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. mug — a face
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — a cup

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