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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. current — electric
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. spell — letters
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wound — an injury
  11. current — of water
  12. board — a committee
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. current — happening now
  16. wound — an injury
  17. fine — all right
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. fine — high quality
  22. spell — magic
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — to get on

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