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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. club — for golf
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wake — a trail
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. stem — to come from
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. club — a group
  15. file — a line of people
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. foot — a measure
  22. file — a document
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. club — for dancing

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