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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. key — the most important part
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. roll — a cake
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. key — in music
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wind — moving air
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. roll — a list
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rest — a break

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