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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. row — a line
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. snap — to click
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. club — for golf
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bound — obliged
  16. club — a group
  17. content — the amount
  18. row — to paddle
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. content — happy
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. club — for dancing

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