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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cap — of ice
  6. sharp — clever
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. staff — employees
  10. cap — a hat
  11. staff — employees
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rash — a series
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. craft — boats
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rash — hasty
  21. staff — a stick
  22. bear — the animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. calf — a young animal

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