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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. net — after costs
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. net — in sport
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. game — a match
  10. net — for catching
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. toast — bread
  13. root — the cause
  14. row — to paddle
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. game — wild animals
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stand — to bear
  22. row — a line
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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