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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. degree — an amount
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. degree — from a university
  9. game — a match
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a ring
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. degree — temperature
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. snap — to click
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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