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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. firm — steady
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. net — in sport
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. firm — a company
  10. rash — hasty
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rash — a series
  13. firm — decided
  14. net — after costs
  15. toast — bread
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. hand — in cards
  21. chip — for betting
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. chip — in a computer

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