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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. squash — to crush
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. face — to confront
  9. pit — a hole
  10. present — the time now
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. degree — temperature
  13. present — a gift
  14. face — to point toward
  15. present — there
  16. squash — the sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. degree — from a university
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. face — part of the head
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. pit — in a race

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