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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · cold · calf · foot · safe · snap · chip · drill

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — an illness
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cold — not warm
  10. drill — a practice
  11. chip — for betting
  12. track — to keep track
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. snap — to click
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. drill — the tool
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. foot — a measure
  23. drill — army training
  24. safe — out of danger

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