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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. file — a tool
  3. net — in sport
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. file — a document
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. file — a line of people
  13. net — after costs
  14. fork — in a road
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — for catching
  18. calf — a young animal

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