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: cabinet · club · can · board · bear · land · degree · calf

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. land — a country
  3. bear — the animal
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — to come down
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. bear — the animal
  9. degree — an amount
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. club — a group
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. board — a committee
  16. land — ground
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — temperature
  20. board — to get on
  21. club — for golf
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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