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: sharp · tube · stand · present · temple · calf · chair · bank

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bank — for money
  4. present — there
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. present — the time now
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. tube — the underground
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. chair — a leader
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bank — for money
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. tube — a container

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