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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. field — a subject
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. ball — a dance
  13. key — in music
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. field — for sport
  20. key — the most important part
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. field — farmland
  24. sharp — clever

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