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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. field — farmland
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — in control
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cell — a phone
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. field — a subject
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. snap — to click
  23. field — for sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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