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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stand — to bear
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. craft — boats
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. game — wild animals
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. snap — to click
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. craft — a skill

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