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: pound · calf · lie · craft · tube · bear · staff · date

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. staff — employees
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pound — a weight
  7. tube — the underground
  8. craft — boats
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — a container
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bear — the animal
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. lie — to recline
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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