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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. firm — steady
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — thin
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — child
  8. court — of law
  9. court — of a king
  10. fine — high quality
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. firm — a company
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. court — for sport
  16. ball — a dance
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. firm — decided
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bat — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. ball — a round shape

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