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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. mark — a trace
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. scale — size or range
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. plane — a tool
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. staff — employees
  12. fall — the season
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fall — to drop
  15. scale — in music
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. staff — a stick
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. mark — a grade
  20. staff — employees
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. kick — in football
  23. scale — for weighing
  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