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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. content — the amount
  11. land — ground
  12. content — happy
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ball — a dance
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. ball — a great time
  21. land — to come down
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. land — a country
  24. arm — a part of something

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