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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  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 — a young animal
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. mark — a trace
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. key — the most important part
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. key — for a lock
  15. game — wild animals
  16. key — in music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a committee
  21. game — a match
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — crushed
  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