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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mark — a trace
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. degree — temperature
  7. board — to get on
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mark — a grade
  11. craft — a skill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — a container
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. squash — to crush
  16. craft — boats
  17. degree — from a university
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. squash — the sport
  21. degree — an amount
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. board — a committee
  24. nail — for a hammer

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