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: straw · mate · leaves · calf · wave · land · bank · can

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a partner
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. land — a country
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. can — a tin
  17. bank — for money
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bank — for money
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. land — ground
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. land — to come down

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