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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. last — finally
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pop — soda
  6. wake — a trail
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. pop — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. present — the time now
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. last — to go on
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. present — there
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. last — final
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. pit — a hole

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