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: game · cap · straw · calf · safe · court · bore · coach

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cap — a lid
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. cap — of ice
  6. court — for sport
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. game — wild animals
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bore — to tire
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. court — of law
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bore — to drill
  23. court — of a king
  24. calf — a young 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