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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — in football
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spell — letters
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. spell — a short time
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a match
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. spell — magic
  17. object — to protest
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. object — a thing
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. craft — boats
  22. object — an aim
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ruler — a monarch

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