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: calf · row · bay · mug · land · lean · rest · cabinet

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. land — a country
  5. rest — a break
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. land — ground
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. lean — to bend
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mug — to rob
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. row — to paddle
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lean — thin
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — a face
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rest — what's left
  23. row — a line
  24. land — to come down

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