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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. foot — a measure
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. saw — the tool
  7. mark — a grade
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — a trace
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — clever
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. mark — to pay attention

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