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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. mark — a grade
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mark — a trace
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. hand — help
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chair — a leader

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