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 116 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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. spring — the season
  6. cell — in biology
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cell — a phone
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. spring — of water
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — after costs
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. spring — a coil
  23. net — for catching
  24. mine — for digging

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