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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. bound — certain
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. prune — to trim
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. shower — rain
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bound — tied together
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cell — a phone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. cell — in biology
  19. bound — obliged
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. ball — a dance

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