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 116 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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. net — after costs
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. band — a ring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fine — all right
  9. face — part of the head
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fine — high quality
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. face — to confront
  20. net — for catching
  21. band — a music group
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. net — in sport
  24. sharp — clever

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