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: face · tube · calf · object · shower · can · clip · coach

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. clip — to cut
  5. can — a tin
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. face — to confront
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. face — part of the head
  13. can — to be able to
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. shower — rain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. object — an aim
  20. object — to protest
  21. clip — for paper
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. face — to point toward
  24. shower — to wash

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