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: ground · toast · calf · band · hide · game · stand · charge

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. game — wild animals
  4. charge — a price
  5. stand — to bear
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. ground — crushed
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. band — a ring
  10. ground — a position
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ground — the earth
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. game — a match
  16. toast — bread
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. charge — in control
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. charge — electricity
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. band — a music group
  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