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: date · wake · cap · stand · prune · calf · face · roll

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. face — to point toward
  5. roll — a list
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. cap — of ice
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wake — a trail
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. face — to confront
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cap — a lid
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. stand — to bear

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