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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rest — what's left
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — an injury
  18. vault — a safe
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. dip — to sink

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