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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. club — for golf
  6. bank — of a river
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. bank — for money
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. club — a group
  17. branch — a division
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bank — for money
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. club — for dancing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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