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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. mug — a cup
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a trace
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — obliged
  12. prune — to trim
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mug — a face
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bound — tied together
  18. root — the cause
  19. root — of a plant
  20. wound — an injury
  21. root — of a word
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. wound — an injury
  24. prune — to trim

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