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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. board — to get on
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. firm — a company
  9. kick — in football
  10. tear — from crying
  11. tear — to rip
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tear — from crying
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. board — a committee

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