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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. fine — all right
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. ground — a position
  20. file — a line of people
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wake — a trail

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