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 120 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: cap · chest · swing · racket · safe · temple · calf · row

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. chest — of your body
  3. swing — to play on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. row — to paddle
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. swing — music
  10. cap — of ice
  11. swing — in golf
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chest — a box
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cap — a lid
  23. chest — of your body
  24. row — a line

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