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: foot · tube · calf · safe · land · coach · band · nail

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. band — a ring
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. land — ground
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. band — a music group
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. tube — the underground
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. land — a country
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. land — to come down
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. nail — for a hammer

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