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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. current — electric
  6. squash — the sport
  7. saw — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — happening now
  13. staff — a stick
  14. season — of the year
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. season — in sport
  23. spring — the season
  24. current — of water

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