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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. firm — a company
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. shower — to wash
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. firm — decided
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a line
  14. firm — steady
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. shower — rain

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