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 120 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wake — a trail
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. current — happening now
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — in a road
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ball — a dance
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. current — electric
  24. hide — to keep secret

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