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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. court — for sport
  3. swing — in golf
  4. race — a contest
  5. court — of a king
  6. kick — in football
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. race — the arms race
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. race — humankind
  15. bank — of a river
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — of law
  20. swing — music
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. bank — for money
  24. fan — to cool the air

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