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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. staff — employees
  10. game — wild animals
  11. deal — to handle
  12. game — a match
  13. face — to confront
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. face — to point toward
  16. sharp — clever
  17. staff — a stick
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. staff — employees
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. face — part of the head

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