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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mug — to rob
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. saw — the tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stock — shares
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. season — in sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mug — a face
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. mug — a cup
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. saw — the tool
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — of the year
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. stock — goods

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