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 116 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kid — child
  10. shower — to wash
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. kick — in football
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. shower — rain
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. ball — a dance
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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