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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. cell — in biology
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. cell — a phone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wake — a trail
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. wake — before a funeral

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