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 116 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. firm — a company
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — money
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bound — obliged
  8. fall — to drop
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. firm — steady
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. capital — a city
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. fall — the season
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bound — tied together
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bound — certain
  23. firm — decided
  24. chair — to sit on

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