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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. race — humankind
  3. cue — for pool
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. clip — to cut
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. cue — a hint
  11. fork — in a road
  12. shower — rain
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. current — electric
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — a video
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. cue — a signal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. race — the arms race
  23. shower — to wash
  24. race — a contest

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