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: dip · bear · calf · saw · hide · snap · perch · kid

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. kid — child
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. kid — to tease
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bear — the animal
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. snap — to click

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