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's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. game — a match
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a committee
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. band — a ring
  12. foot — a measure
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. game — wild animals
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. board — to get on

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