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: foot · dip · lean · calf · club · mark

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. lean — to bend
  9. foot — a measure
  10. club — a group
  11. club — for golf
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mark — a trace
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. dip — a sauce

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