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: calf · staff · mate · cell · fan · object · land · ruler

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — a stick
  4. object — a thing
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — a country
  7. mate — a friend
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cell — in biology
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. staff — employees
  13. mate — a partner
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. staff — employees
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cell — a phone
  21. object — to protest
  22. land — to come down
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. ruler — for measuring

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