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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. last — finally
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. foot — a measure
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tear — from crying
  7. last — final
  8. deal — to handle
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mark — a grade
  11. last — to go on
  12. tear — to rip
  13. vault — a safe
  14. swing — music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. mark — a trace
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tear — from crying
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. calf — a young animal

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