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: calf · content · nail · stand · craft · leaves · mate · bound

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. craft — boats
  7. content — happy
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. content — the amount
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bound — tied together
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — to bear
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bound — certain
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. craft — a skill
  24. calf — of the leg

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