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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. season — of the year
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — a match
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. degree — from a university
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. foot — a measure
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. game — wild animals
  24. season — in sport

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