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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. hand — in cards
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hand — help
  13. suit — clothes
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. content — happy
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. vault — a safe
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. content — the amount
  24. suit — to fit

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