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: kid · pitcher · kick · calf · coach · field · fine · mark

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. kid — child
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. field — farmland
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. field — for sport
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. kick — in football
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fine — high quality
  21. kid — to tease
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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