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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — thin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lean — to bend
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. suit — clothes
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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