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: leaves · bark · cap · fork · calf · suit · chair · arm

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — in cards
  3. chair — a leader
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cap — a lid
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bark — to shout
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. fork — in a road
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cap — a hat

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