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: staff · hand · calf · branch · race · dip · mark · safe

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. race — the arms race
  6. dip — to sink
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — a contest
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. staff — a stick
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. branch — a division
  14. mark — a trace
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. hand — help
  23. race — humankind
  24. hand — in cards

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