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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. present — the time now
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. drill — army training
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. present — there
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. drill — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — of the year
  20. drill — a practice
  21. present — a gift
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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