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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — for dancing
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. foot — a measure
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. object — to protest
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. club — a group
  20. scale — in music
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. club — for golf
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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