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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. deal — to handle
  4. ball — a dance
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. hand — in cards
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rash — a series
  13. rash — hasty
  14. hand — help
  15. bank — of a river
  16. row — a line
  17. ball — a great time
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. deal — an agreement

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