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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. last — finally
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. chip — for betting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. last — to go on
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. last — final
  21. snap — to click
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. calf — a young animal

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