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 120 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 · land · dip · cap · track · deal · hand

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. hand — in cards
  6. track — a path
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — a song
  9. land — to come down
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cap — of ice
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cap — a hat
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. content — the amount
  17. land — a country
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cap — a lid
  20. content — happy
  21. hand — help
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. land — ground
  24. calf — a young animal

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