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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. chest — a box
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. kick — in football
  6. chest — of your body
  7. swing — music
  8. hand — help
  9. chest — of your body
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. can — a tin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. can — to be able to
  15. swing — to play on
  16. foot — a measure
  17. can — a tin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. swing — in golf
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — in cards
  24. foot — the bottom

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