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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — a path
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. track — to keep track
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cap — a lid
  10. spring — of water
  11. chip — to eat
  12. track — a song
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rest — a break
  16. bass — low music
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bass — the fish
  22. spring — the season
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rest — what's left

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