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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. present — the time now
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. clip — for paper
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. clip — a video
  16. hand — help
  17. clip — to cut
  18. present — there
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. present — a gift
  24. deal — a big deal

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