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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — the season
  8. sharp — clever
  9. root — of a word
  10. root — of a plant
  11. craft — a skill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chest — a box
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. chest — of your body
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. root — the cause
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. craft — boats
  24. chest — of your body

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