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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. spell — magic
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. sharp — clever
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. suit — in cards
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. spell — letters
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. ground — the earth

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