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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chip — to eat
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. dip — to sink
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. spring — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. spring — the season
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. dip — a sauce

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