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 information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wake — a trail
  5. race — a contest
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — high quality
  9. race — the arms race
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. race — humankind
  12. content — happy
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. craft — boats
  15. fine — all right
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. file — a line of people
  18. craft — a skill
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. file — a tool
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. content — the amount
  24. craft — a handicraft

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