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 · craft · rest · land · racket · stem · chip · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. craft — a skill
  4. land — a country
  5. craft — boats
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. rest — what's left
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. land — ground
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rest — a break
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stem — to come from
  23. land — to come down
  24. racket — a loud noise

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