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: dip · calf · foot · shower · band · game · suit · cap

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. dip — to sink
  3. band — a ring
  4. cap — a hat
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. band — a music group
  9. cap — of ice
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. suit — clothes
  14. foot — a measure
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. shower — to wash
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cap — a lid
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. game — a match
  22. game — wild animals
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. shower — rain

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