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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. chest — a box
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. drill — the tool
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — of a river
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chest — of your body
  14. game — wild animals
  15. drill — a practice
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. game — a match
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bank — for money
  22. wake — a trail
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. drill — army training

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