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: mark · dip · calf · object · hand · mine · face · nail

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. 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. mine — for digging
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. face — part of the head
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hand — help
  9. mark — a trace
  10. hand — in cards
  11. object — to protest
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. face — to confront
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. mark — a grade
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. face — to point toward
  24. 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