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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: racket · fine · calf · mark · snap · wake

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. snap — to click
  7. mark — a grade
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fine — all right
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mark — a trace

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