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: safe · craft · track · season · club · calf · prune · temple

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. season — in sport
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. season — of the year
  7. track — a path
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. track — to keep track
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. track — a song
  16. prune — to trim
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — a group
  19. craft — a skill
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. club — for golf
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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