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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. staff — employees
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. march — music
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. march — the month
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. staff — a stick
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. net — after costs
  16. content — the amount
  17. net — in sport
  18. content — happy
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. staff — employees
  21. march — the month
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. snap — to click
  24. net — for catching

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