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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. calf — of the leg
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mug — a face
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. degree — temperature
  8. chip — for betting
  9. toast — bread
  10. degree — an amount
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ground — crushed
  14. mug — a cup
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ground — a position
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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