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: safe · coach · fan · bay · calf · sharp · can · last

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. can — to be able to
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. last — to go on
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. last — finally
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. sharp — clever
  18. can — a tin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. last — final
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. can — a tin
  24. sharp — with an edge

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