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

Word bank: calf · dip · cell · rest · board · racket

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rest — what's left
  8. board — a committee
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. cell — a phone
  12. dip — to sink
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rest — a break
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — what's left

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