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: trunk · nail · cap · spell · calf · mark · safe · shower

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a hat
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. shower — rain
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — magic
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. spell — a short time
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cap — a lid
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. shower — to wash
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. calf — of the leg

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