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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. clip — a video
  6. object — a thing
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. object — to protest
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. clip — to cut
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chair — a leader
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. calf — of the leg

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