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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. snap — to click
  3. degree — an amount
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. degree — from a university
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. degree — temperature
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stand — to bear
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. snap — to snap out of it

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