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 116 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. hand — help
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. club — a group
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. tear — to rip
  10. firm — decided
  11. tear — from crying
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — steady
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. club — for dancing
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. club — for golf
  23. tear — from crying
  24. firm — a company

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