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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. bank — for money
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. face — to confront
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bank — of a river
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — an amount
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. kick — in football
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. object — an aim
  20. degree — temperature
  21. bank — for money
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. face — to point toward
  24. deal — an agreement

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