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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cold — not warm
  6. wake — a trail
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. cold — an illness
  10. swing — music
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. spell — magic
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — a short time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. charge — a price
  23. spell — letters
  24. swing — to play 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