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: calf · key · season · spell · file · mate · charge · wake

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. spell — magic
  4. key — the most important part
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. file — a line of people
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — electricity
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. charge — a price
  14. mate — a partner
  15. season — in sport
  16. mate — a friend
  17. mate — to breed
  18. file — a document
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. charge — in control
  21. season — of the year
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. file — a tool
  24. wake — a trail

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