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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — newspapers
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — to recline
  12. charge — electricity
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. charge — a price
  19. press — to push
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — the season
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. mine — for digging
  24. calf — of the leg

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