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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. can — a tin
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — a position
  9. wound — an injury
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ground — crushed
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. wake — a trail
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. can — a tin
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — a safe
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rush — hurry
  24. ground — the earth

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