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 116 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: calf · safe · suit · sharp · staff · land · wind · rest

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. land — to come down
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. sharp — clever
  5. land — a country
  6. rest — what's left
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. suit — clothes
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rest — a break
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. staff — employees
  16. land — ground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. staff — employees
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wind — moving air
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. safe — out of danger

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