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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. ball — a great time
  3. shower — rain
  4. pop — music
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. shower — to wash
  9. lean — thin
  10. pop — to visit
  11. field — a subject
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. ball — a dance
  15. lean — to bend
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. object — a thing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. field — for sport
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — an aim
  24. object — to protest

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