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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. net — for catching
  3. bark — to shout
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. net — after costs
  6. net — in sport
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. face — to confront
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. roll — a cake
  11. face — part of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. staff — employees
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. roll — a list
  22. face — to point toward
  23. roll — on a roll
  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