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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. present — the time now
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. board — to get on
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. present — a gift
  10. cell — in biology
  11. season — in sport
  12. cell — a phone
  13. suit — clothes
  14. season — of the year
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. present — there
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. suit — to fit
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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