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: object · staff · calf · toast · charge · cold · spring · dip

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — to protest
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spring — a coil
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. cold — an illness
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cold — not warm
  13. charge — in control
  14. dip — to sink
  15. staff — employees
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. staff — a stick
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — of water
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. charge — a price
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. staff — employees
  24. toast — bread

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