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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. track — a path
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — high quality
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. track — a song
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kick — in football
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. vault — a safe
  15. net — after costs
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bulb — for light
  22. net — in sport
  23. net — for catching
  24. arm — part of the body

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