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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mate — a friend
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. saw — the tool
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. hand — help
  9. mate — to breed
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ball — a great time
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — a division
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wound — an injury
  18. saw — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. mate — a partner
  22. hand — in cards
  23. wound — an injury
  24. ball — a dance

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