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: cabinet · wind · root · fall · safe · straw · calf · pitcher

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. root — of a word
  7. wind — moving air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. root — the cause
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. root — of a plant
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — the season

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