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

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — in football
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fall — to drop
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. fall — the season
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. vault — a safe
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. band — a music group
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fall — to drop

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