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: nail · bear · hide · rule · chair · wave · pitch · calf

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rule — a law
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — government
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. pitch — completely
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. bear — the animal

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