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: mate · root · stick · staff · dip · rule · calf · mine

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. root — the cause
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mine — for digging
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — a stick
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rule — government
  15. root — of a plant
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. staff — employees
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rule — a law
  22. root — of a word
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mate — to breed

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