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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. mark — a grade
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. firm — steady
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. foot — a measure
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. firm — decided
  16. track — a path
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. mark — a trace
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. snap — to click
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. track — a song
  24. track — to keep track

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