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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. sharp — clever
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. game — a match
  15. game — wild animals
  16. wound — an injury
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a document
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. wave — with your hand

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