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 116 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 hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. present — a gift
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. hand — help
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. present — the time now
  12. wake — a trail
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. stand — to bear
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. present — there
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — a grade
  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