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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. capital — money
  7. key — in music
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. key — the most important part
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. hide — to keep secret

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