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 124 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. hand — in cards
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ball — a great time
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. mate — to breed
  8. chair — a leader
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mate — a friend
  14. kick — in football
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — a partner
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hand — help
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kick — a thrill

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