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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cell — a phone
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. tube — the underground
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. tube — a container
  10. lean — to bend
  11. lean — thin
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. cell — in biology
  17. rash — hasty
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rash — a series
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. cell — in a prison

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