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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. key — for a lock
  5. hand — help
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. key — in music
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. hand — in cards
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. key — the most important part
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. drill — army training
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. toast — bread
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — a practice

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