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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chest — of your body
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chest — a box
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. board — a committee
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. game — wild animals
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. game — a match
  20. chest — of your body
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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