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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wind — moving air
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bass — low music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the fish
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — a law
  21. wind — moving air
  22. rule — government
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. prune — to trim

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