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: cap · scale · bound · leaves · date · hide · calf · chip

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bound — tied together
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cap — a hat
  7. scale — in music
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cap — of ice
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chip — to eat
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cap — a lid
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bound — obliged
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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