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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lean — thin
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fine — all right
  11. kick — in football
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. branch — a division
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fine — high quality
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. branch — of a bank

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