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: stand · bark · pit · chair · safe · calf · bat · firm

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. firm — decided
  4. bat — the animal
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bark — to shout
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. firm — a company
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. firm — steady
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. safe — a strongbox

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