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: leaves · chip · cabinet · kick · bay · wind · calf · content

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. content — the amount
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. content — happy
  16. wind — moving air
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. kick — in football
  23. wind — moving air
  24. kick — with a leg

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