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: kid · mug · cell · wake · calf · cabinet · wave · object

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. kid — to tease
  10. mug — a face
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. object — an aim
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. object — to protest
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cell — in biology
  23. kid — child
  24. cabinet — ministers

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