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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. ground — the earth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. stand — to bear
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. foot — a measure
  12. ground — crushed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. ground — a position
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. deal — to handle
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. stand — for spectators

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