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 · calf · dip · rock · root · ground · club · leaves

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. root — of a word
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — a position
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rock — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ground — the earth
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — the cause
  20. rock — a stone
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — to sink
  24. club — a group

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