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 116 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: hand · calf · safe · bore · game · band · root · squash

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bore — to tire
  10. root — of a word
  11. bore — to drill
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. game — a match
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a ring
  19. hand — in cards
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. root — the cause
  24. hand — help

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