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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mark — a grade
  11. last — finally
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. last — final
  14. fine — all right
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. charge — electricity
  18. last — to go on
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a trace
  24. fine — high quality

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