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 had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. deal — to handle
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. rash — a series
  9. cold — not warm
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chip — for betting
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. lean — to bend
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rash — hasty
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. kick — in football
  20. lean — thin
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — to eat
  24. temple — a place of worship

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