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: hide · root · fork · straw · calf · drill · safe · rest

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. rest — what's left
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. root — the cause
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fork — in a road
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. drill — army training
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — of a word
  24. rest — a break

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