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: current · plane · pitcher · hide · bat · ruler · wake · calf

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. current — happening now
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. current — electric
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. current — of water

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