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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bulb — for light
  5. root — of a plant
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pop — music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. root — of a word
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wound — an injury
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. root — the cause
  18. scale — in music
  19. kick — in football
  20. pop — to visit
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. pop — soda
  24. calf — a young animal

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